Cross Country Sectional Meet Reflection

October 29, 2016 I was competing in the IHSA cross country sectional meet in an effort to advance my team to the state finals which was the following week. I finished the race and was immediately rushed to an urgent care facility where I found out I had pneumonia. The week leading up up to the race I was home sick several days with an upper respiratory infection but knew I had to get back to training in order to support my team as I was the number three runner. Seven days later I raced at the State Meet still severely hindered by the effects of pneumonia, and ran minimally one minute slower than what I had trained to run. As a runner, the sport is year round, with competitive training beginning in January for track through summer into the
fall for cross country. I had dedicated as significant amount of my time and effort in anticipation of becoming an All State Runner and helping my team earn a trophy. Unfortunately, although I worked extremely hard leading up to the State Meet, on November 5th, I did not achieve my goals, due to circumstances completely out of my control. The experience, however, was one of the most humbling things ever to happen in my life. It reminded me of how blessed I really am to be able to run competitively and lead a very fulfilled life outside of running. Something as acute as pneumonia, and failure to reach a temporal goal, does not compare to some of the hardships and injustices that people face everyday of their lives. Throughout that period and into today, I have kept my faith in the Lord, and understand His plans may not alway align with mine, but He is in control. Flash forward to January 2017, track season began, and I again dedicated myself to the sport and went on to have a very successful track season winning the Sectional Championship in the 3200 meter race, achieving my personal best time in the 1600 meter race of 4:22 and placing 15th in the IHSA Track and Field state meet in the 3200 meter race. This experience not only humbled my heart, but reminded me that God is always by our side even though both our triumphs and tribulations.